Four people who were charged after a protest of Gov. Mike Parson’s agenda for the July 2020 legislative special session have taken deferred prosecution of their cases and had the charges against them dismissed.
According to court documents, Elijah Foggy, Eva Cloud, Sarah Butler and Alexander Goode, all from the St. Louis area, were charged with interfering with an arrest and peace disturbance after the protest, both misdemeanors.
Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson said deferred prosecution means the defendants agree their cases will be dismissed and, for that agreement, they will be placed on probation with the prosecutor’s office for one year.
The protesters were demonstrating against crime legislation they said did more harm to residents who they said were facing oppressive actions by authorities in the St. Louis area.
Thompson said he had no further comment on the actions as the cases against four other people charged for the protest are proceeding.
Lashell Eikerenkoetter, Abigail Holland and Krutie Thakkar, all from the St. Louis area, were charged with peace disturbance.
Sabrina Ridenhour, of Jefferson City, was charged with interfering with an arrest and peace disturbance.
Jefferson City Police Department officers responded to the area of 100 E. High St. on the afternoon of July 30 “for a group of subjects walking in the roadway,” according to a JCPD news release.
“Information obtained indicated a group of protesters were leaving the Capitol grounds and walking eastbound on High Street. Commanders attempted to contact one of the organizers in an attempt to mediate the crowd,” according to the news release. “Multiple participants began blocking the roadway at Jefferson Street and Capitol Avenue to traffic. Responding officers gave participants directions to disperse and clear the roadway. The entire intersection was being blocked by participants including some lying in the roadway.
“After multiple commands were given to the participants, the order to clear the roadway was given. The participants blocked the roadway at three different locations prior to an arrest being made.”
During a September hearing before Cole County Associate Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh, Holland’s lawyer, Joseph Whitener, argued the charges don’t fit the crime she is alleged to have committed. Thompson told Limbaugh the prosecutor has “broad discretion” in charging decisions.
Whitener also said the protesters had a permit to protest on that day, but Thompson said it was his understanding it did not allow them to go out onto the streets. Only a parade permit would allow that, and the protesters did not have a parade permit, he said.
Attorney William Waller, who represents the other defendants, and Whitener also told Limbaugh their clients, under the U.S. and Missouri Constitutions, have the right to peacefully assemble and verbally challenge the authority of law officers and that there is video showing traffic was not impeded and could have easily passed by when this event occurred.